Machine for manufacturing converter-bottoms



V (No Model.)

2 Sheets-Sheet- 1.

W. L. GEOFF; MAGHINB FOR MANUFACTURING CONVERTER BOTTOMS. N0. 41Z,919.- Patented Oct. 15, 1889.

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(No Model.)

. 2 Sheets-Sheet 2. W. L. GEOFF. MAGHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CONVERTER BOTTOMS.

N0.- 412,91-9.. Patented Oct. 15, 1889.-

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UNITED STATES PATENT .OFFICE.

WILLIAM LANDIS GEOFF, OF STEELTON, PENNSYLVANIA.

MACHINE FOR MANUFACTURING CONVERTER-BOTTOMIS.

SPECIFICATION forming part of Letters Patent No. 412,919, dated October 15, 1889.

Application filed February 2, 1889. Serial No. 298,436. (No model.)

To all whom it may concern.-

Be it known that LWILLIAM LANDIS GEOFF, a citizen of the United States, residing at Steelton, in the county of Dauphin and State of Pennsylvania, have invented a new and useful Improvement in Machines for Manufacturing Bottoms for Bessemer and other Converters, of which the following is a specification.

This invention relates to an improved machine for manufacturing bottoms for Bessemer and other like converters; and it has for its object to make the said bottoms in asingle piece instead of, as has heretofore been practiced, in a series of separate pieces orbricks adapted to be joined together when they are placed in the converter for operation. The invention consists in the improved construction, arrangement, and operation of parts, which will be hereinafter fully described, and particularly pointed out in the claims.

In the drawings, Figure 1 is a perspective view of my improved machine for manufacturing converterbottoms. Fig. 2 is a vertical transverse sectional View of the same. Fig. 3 is a top view of the machine, the follower having been removed from the mold. Fig. 4. is a view showing the bottom manufactured by my improved machine ready for use.

The same letters refer to the same parts in all the figures.

A designates the frame of the machine, which consists of two horizontal parallel plates B B, connected by suitable braces O and mounted either upon a suitably-constructed bed or, as shown in the drawings, upon legs I) D. I

E is a stem or follower arranged centrally in the lower plate B of the frame and ar-' ranged to move vertically in a suitable bearing therein. The lower end of said stem or follower hasa transverse pin F, working in a slot G in the inner end of a lever H, which is pivoted to an arm or bracket I, extending downwardly from the frame-plate B. The outer end of the said lever forms a handle by means of which it may be conveniently manipulated. The upper end of the stem or follower E carries a horizontal plate J, to which are firmly attached a number of vertical stems K K, which may be arranged in any desired position with relation to each other, such position corresponding to the relative position of the tuyeres in the converterbottom. The stems K extend through openings in the upper frame-plate B, through which they may be caused to extend, as shown in Fig. 2 of the drawings, by suitably manipulating the lever 11.

Attached to the upper side of the frameplate B by means of thumb-screws L L is a series of angular brackets M M, to which a ring or frame N may be secured detachably by means of thumb-screws 0. Between the ring N and the frame-plate B is interposeda plate P, which may be constructed of sheet metal, and which has perforations Q, registering with the stems K, which pass through the said perforations. The plate P is secured detachably to the ring N by means of screws R. The ring N may be circular or polygonal in shape to correspond with the configuration of the converter for which the bottom to be constructed is intended. The inner side of the ring N is beveled, as shown at S, for the purpose of retaining the converter-bottom therein, as will be hereinafter described.

T designates the mold, which may be constructed either of cast or wrought metal, and which is provided with a flange U, to receive set-screws V, by means of which it is to be securely attached to the ring N. It is obvious that this mold is to be of the proposed shape or configuration of the converter bottom. In the drawings hereto annexed it has been shown to be cylindrical, which is the form most commonly used. Vithin the mold T is arranged a follower TV, which. may be operated by steam, hydraulic, or other suitable pressure.

The operation of this invention is as fol lows: After the ring N and mold T have been placed in position upon the upper frame-plate B the lever H is manipulated so as to force the stems K through the said upper frameplate, causing them. to extend vertically within the mold. Fire-clay in its plastic state is then rammed into the mold around the said stems K, and when a sufficient quantity has been placed in. the mold the follower W is introduced and subjected to heavy pressure until the contents of the mold become sufficiently compact. It will be obvious that the stems K will recede as the followerW advances, and that theblay will consequently be packed very tightly around the said stems. After the pressure ceases, and after the contents of the mold have become sufficiently set, the lever II is manipulated to withdraw the stems K, thus leaving the now complete converter-bottom with the series of vertical openings or tuyeres X X.

By the use of the machine and the process herein described it will be seen that the converter-bottom is manufactured in one single piece, which is connected to the ring or head N by extending over the beveled inner side of the latter, which, when the bottom has set and hardened sufficiently, may be detached from the brackets upon the frame-plate B and removed to some suitable place, where the bottom may be dried and hardened sufficiently to enable it to be placed in the converter for operation. The mold T is detached from the ring N by simply removing the fastening-screws, and the ring N forms the support by which the bottom is mounted in the converter. Said ring N, it will be seen, forms a permanent part of the converter-bottom, and is with it mounted in the converter.

Heretofore bottoms for steel converters have been usuallyconstructed either by ramming the plastic clay or ganister directly around the tuyeres and allowing it to set and harden, or else by building them up of a series of bricks or sections with or without interposing plastic material. The former method is objectionable for the reason that it occupies much time both in the construction of the bottom and the subsequent setting or hardening thereof, While the latter is objectionable for the reason that it is difficult and sometimes impossible to make the several sections register vertically with the tuyeres, thus causing broken and defective joints, while when plastic material is used in connection with the bricks this method is open to the same objections as that of constructing the bottom entirely of plastic material, though perhaps in a less degree. Besides, when the bottom is constructed in sections there is always more or less danger of one or more of such sections becoming misplaced and dropping out, thereby causing serious accidents. By constructing the bottom in a single piece,

tion of a suitable frame, a ring or head secured detachably to the upper bed-plate of said frame, and the mold having a flange, whereby it is attached to the said ring, substantially as set forth.

2. In a machine for manufacturing converter-bottoms in a single piece, the combination, with a suitable frame, of a ring or head secured detachably to the upper bed-plate of said frame, the inner side of said ring being beveled, as herein described, and a mold provided with a flange, whereby it is connected to the said ring by means of set-screws, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

3. In a machine for manufacturing converter-bottoms in a single piece, the combination of the frame, a ring having a beveled inner side and secured detachably to the upper bed-plate of said frame, a series of stems sliding vertically in the latter and through a sheet-metal plate interposed between the said ring and the upper bed-plate, a mold secured detachably to the said ring, and a follower arranged to slide in the said mold, substantially as and for the purpose set forth.

4. In a machine for manufacturing converter-bottoms in a single piece, the combination of the frame,a ring having a beveled inner side and secured detachably to the upper bed-plate of said frame, a sheet-metal plate interposed between said bed-plate and ring and secured detachably to the latter, a mold secured detachably to the ring, the verticallysliding stems, and the follower sliding within the mold, substantially as set forth.

In testimony that I claim the foregoing as my own I have hereto affixed my signature in presence of two witnesses.

WILLIAM LANDIS GROFF.

\Vitnesses:

JOHN H. RoTHRooK, THAD M. LANGWELL. 

